S/2004 S 3
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| File:S2004 S 3 - PIA06115.png | |
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Carl Murray et al., 2004 / Cassini-Huygens |
| Discovered on | 21 June, 2004 |
| Orbital characteristics | |
| Semimajor axis | 140,580 km |
| Eccentricity | 0.0? |
| Orbital period | 0.62095 d |
| Inclination | 0°? |
| Is a satellite of | Saturn |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Mean diameter | 4-5 km |
| Rotation period | probably synchronous |
| Axial tilt | 0° |
| Albedo | 0.6? |
| Atmosphere | none |
S/2004 S 3 is the provisional designation of an unconfirmed moon of Saturn. It was discovered by Carolyn C. Porco and the Cassini Imaging Team in images taken by the Cassini-Huygens probe on June 21, 2004, and announced on September 9, 2004.
The moon is believed to be 3-5 km in diameter and orbits just beyond Saturn's F Ring, inside the orbit of Pandora. It seems to be a shepherd satellite for the outer edge of Saturn's F ring. Scientists cannot yet definitively say if the object is a moon or a temporary clump of ring material.
Another possible moon, S/2004 S 4, was sighted nearby shortly afterward, but this time inside the F Ring. Since it is not certain how a moon's orbit could cross a ring, scientists are currently assuming that they have discovered two separate objects, but the possibility that they have found a ring-crossing moon cannot yet be discounted.
[edit] References
| edit Saturn's natural satellites |
|---|
| Pan | Daphnis | Atlas | Prometheus | S/2004 S 6 | S/2004 S 4 | S/2004 S 3 | Pandora | Epimetheus and Janus |
| Mimas | Methone | Pallene | Enceladus | Telesto, Tethys, and Calypso | Polydeuces, Dione, and Helene | Rhea |
| Titan | Hyperion | Iapetus | Kiviuq | Ijiraq | Phoebe | Paaliaq | Skathi | Albiorix | S/2004 S 11 | Erriapo | Siarnaq |
| S/2004 S 13 | Tarvos | Mundilfari | S/2004 S 17 | Narvi | S/2004 S 15 | S/2004 S 10 | Suttungr | S/2004 S 12 |
| S/2004 S 18 | S/2004 S 9 | S/2004 S 14 | S/2004 S 7 | Thrymr | S/2004 S 16 | Ymir | S/2004 S 8 |
| See also: Pronunciation key | Rings of Saturn | Cassini-Huygens | Themis |
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